Method of installing loudspeaker lead wires



May 12, 1970 HEPPNER ET AL. 3,510,937

METHOD OF INSTALLING LOUDSPEAKER LEAD WIRES Filed Feb. 5. 1968 r J El I 7211652275 e) @7355; JKZZQZQ @WWWWM,QZM,MWWWO% United States Patent 3,510,937 METHOD OF INSTALLING LOUDSPEAKER LEAD WIRES Elmore A. Heppner, Round Lake, and Charles J. Kanthack, Fox Lake, 11]., assignors to Heppner Manufacturing Co., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 703,076 Int. Cl. H04r 31/00 U.S. Cl. 29-594 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of installing lead wires in a loudspeaker wherein a pair of lead wires are attached to a terminal assembly and passed concurrently through openings in the speaker cone. The wires are suitably arched by movement of a clip portion of the terminal assembly into retained association with a lug on the loudspeaker frame. The free ends of the wires are then secured to the voice coil leads. The terminal assembly is preformed to have the lead wires secured to a pair of spaced terminals carried by insulation means on a clip element. The clip defines a socket adapted to be fitted onto the frame lug for retained association of the terminal assembly with the frame.

This invention relates to loudspeaker manufacture and particularly to a method of installing lead wires in a loudspeaker structure and a terminal assembly for use therein.

In the manufacture of loudspeakers it is necessary to maintain high standards of quality control while yet effectively minimize manufacturing costs. One operation in such loudspeaker manufacture that has heretofore presented a particularly vexatious problem in this regard is that of installing lead wires between the voice coil leads and the electrical connection terminals to which the amplifier wires are connected. Heretofore a relatively complicated and expensive series of steps was required to effect this operation in the known methods of loudspeaker manufacture.

More specifically, heretofore it was necessary to utilize a riveting machine and a semi-skilled operator to effect the attachmentof the terminal clip to the mounting lug. Two threading operations by two skilled operators with relatively acute vision were required to effect the passing of the lead wires through the speaker cone openings. A pre-arching operation to provide arches in the lead wires required an additional skilled operator having relatively good vision. Two additional skilled operators with good vision were required for soldering the two lead wires to the terminals and to the voice coil leads. Finally, a skilled operator with good vision was required for cutting the connected lead wires and voice coil leads. The above indicated operations and operators were required for each loudspeaker assembly line.

Another disadvantage of the known methods of installing such loudspeaker lead Wires is the requirement that the first step in the installation be the attachment of the terminals to the frame lug. This requirement presents a serious problem relative to maintaining clearances for magnet insertion. Further, a number of such installed terminal boards became loosened as the result of shrinkage of the boards during the subsequent drying of the cement securing the spider and cone together.

The present invention eliminates the above discussed disadvantages of the known methods of loudspeaker lead wire installation in a novel and simple manner. More specifically, the present invention permits a substantial reduction in the number of steps, the number of machines required, the number of operators required, and in the degree of skill of the necessary operators. The present invention further eliminates the problems of lack of clearance and terminal board loosening discussed above in a novel and simple manner. Thus, a principal feature of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved method of installing loudspeaker lead wires.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a method of installing loudspeaker lead wires including the steps of providing a frame, spider and cone assembly having a pair of spaced openings in the cone, a pair of voice coil leads having their free ends disposable adjacent said openings forwardly of the cone, and a lug associated with the frame adjacent said openings rearwardly of the cone; providing a terminal assembly having a clip adjusted to be fixedly retained on the lug, a pair of insulated terminals, and a pair of flexible lead wires attached one each to the terminals and having free ends; inserting the free ends of the lead wires through the openings; moving the clip portion into retained association with the lug while forcing an arch in the lead wires; and electrically connecting the lead wires to the coil leads.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a method wherein the free ends of the terminal assembly lead wires are spaced apart prior to the inserting step a distance similar to the spacing between the cone openings to be concurrently inserted through the cone openings.

A yet further feature of the invention is the provision of such method of installing lead wires in a loudspeaker wherein the clip portion of the terminal assembly defines a socket for retained mountings on the lug.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a method of installing lead wires in a loudspeaker wherein the clip is moved transversely to the axes of the cone openings during the mounting thereof on the lug to provide a desired arch in the lead wires.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a new and improved terminal assembly for use in installing lead wires in such a loudspeaker.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a terminal assembly including a clip, insulation means carried by the clip, a pair of spaced terminals carried by the insulation means, and a pair of flexible wires having first ends connected one each to the terminals, and second free ends spaced apart a preselected distance to pass through the cone openings.

A yet further feature of the invention is the provision of such a terminal assembly wherein the clip defines a socket and the first ends of the wires extend generally transversely to the direction of opening of the socket.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a terminal assembly having a new and improved lead wire structure.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a terminal assembly having improved means for mounting the terminals to the clip.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a loudspeaker embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical central section thereof illustrating the method of inserting the lead wires into the cone openings and installing the terminal assembly on the mounting lug;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse section taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the structure of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section thereof taken substantially along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5; and

FIGS. 7(a) through (e) are a series of fragmentary front elevations illustrating the assembly sequence completion.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a loudspeaker generally designated 10 is shown to include a magnet frame 11 having a front plate 12 through which a cylindrical magnet 13- projects. The magnet is secured to the rear wall 14 of the frame 11 as by cement. Loosely carried on the magnet for reciprocal axial movement is a sleeve 15 carrying a conventional voice coil 16. A spider 17 is secured to the frame coaxially of the magnet 13 and a cone 18 is placed on the frame with voice coil wires 19 and 20 extending forwardly from the voice coil to adjacent corresponding eyelet openings 21 and 22 in the cone as best shown in FIGS. 7 (a-e). Cement is applied between the apex 23 and the cone to secure the sleeve 15 coaxially to the cone permitting free vibratory movement of the center of the cone coaxial- 1y of the magnet 13.

As indicated briefly above, the invention comprehends a new and improved method of installing lead wires providing electrical connection to the voice coil wires 19 and 20. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, the invention comprehends providing a terminal assembly generally designated 24 which includes a metal clip 25 adapted to be mounted on a lug 26 carried on the spider 17, and thus fixedly associated with the frame 11. As best seen in FIG. 5, the clip effectively defines a socket and more specifically comprises a U-shaped member having a bight portion 27 and apposed, inturned sides 28 frictionally embracing the lug 26. The terminal assembly further includes an insulating mounting board 29 which is centrally secured to the clip 25, as by rivet 30*. Thus as shown in FIG. 4, the mounting board includes side portions 31 and 32 extending laterally of the clip 25. A pair of L-shaped solder type terminals 33 and 34 are staked to the insulating board portions 31 and 32 respectively and a corresponding pair of lead wires 35 and 36 have one end 35a and 36a respectively soldered to the terminals 33 and 34 through the insulating board portions 31 and 32.

The wires 35 and 36- are preferably formed of a flexible stranded wire having a preselected stiffness to substantially maintain the wires in a formed configuration. Pref erably the wires project from the rear of the insulating board portions 31 and 32 substantially transversely to the direction of opening of the socket defined by the clip 25 and in the illustrated embodiment extends substantially perpendicularly forwardly from the board portions 31 and 32. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7(a), the free ends 35b and 36b of the wires 35 and 36 are inserted through the eyelet openings 21 and 22 concurrently by suitable angularly downward movement of the terminal assembly 24 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. The free lead ends 35b and 36b are preferably spaced apart, prior to the insertion, a distance substantially equal to the spacing between the eyelet openings 21 and 22 so that both wires may be readily installed by a single downward movement of the assembly 24. After the lead ends 35b and 36b are passed through the eyelet openings, the terminal assembly 24 is swung from the dotted line position of FIG. 3 to the full line position and then moved downwardly in the direction of the arrow to engage the clip 25 with the upstanding lug 26. An arch is concurrently formed in the lead wires 35 and 36 to accommodate the axial vibratory movement of the cone 1 8.

To complete the installation, the voice coil wires 19 and 20 are then tied to the lead wire ends 35b and 36b as shown in FIG. 7 (b), and the connections therebetween are then secured as by solder 37 as shown in FIG. 7(0). The voice coil leads are then secured to the cone 18 with suitable cement dope 38 as shown in FIG. 7(a'), and a felt dust cap 39 is cemented to the apex of the voice coil for closing the same against dust and the like as shown in FIG. 7(e).

Thus, the present invention comprehends an improved simplified method of installing lead wires 35 and 36 in the loudspeaker 10' by providing the improved terminal assembly 24- permitting the lead wires to be concurrently passed through the eyelet openings and the desired arch formed therein by the simple expedient of mounting the clip portion 25 on the lug 26. The clip is securely retained on the lug 26 by the frictional engagement therewith. Thus, only a single operator is required to install the terminal assembly to have the lead wires extending suitably through the eyelet openings. This operator may be a semi-skilled operator further reducing the manufacturing cost. As the terminal assembly may be installed subsequent to the cementing of the cone to the spider, the above discussed problems of maintaining clearances for magnet insertion and of loosening of the terminal board due to shrinkage during the cement drying process are eliminated. As the terminal assembly 24 may be fabricated independently of the assembly of the loudspeaker 10 improved accuracy and efiiciency in the manufacture thereof is obtained. Economy in the installation of the lead wires is effectively maximized by the concurrent lead wire insertion and terminal clip mounting comprehended by the disclosed invention.

While we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim: 1. The method of installing lead wires in a loudspeaker comprising the steps of:

providing a spider and cone assembly having a pair of spaced openings in the cone, a pair of voice coil leads having their free ends disposable adjacent said openings forwardly of the cone, and a lug associated with the spider adjacent said openings removably of the cone; providing a terminal assembly having a clip adjusted to be fixedly retained on said lug, a pair of insulated terminals, and a pair of flexible wires attached one each to said terminals and having free ends;

inserting the free ends of said wires through said openings; moving said clip into retained association with said lug while forming an arch in said wires as an incident of said moving; and

electrically connecting said wires to said coil leads.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said clip is frictionally retained on said lug.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said clip defines a socket tightly receiving said lug.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said free ends of the wires are spaced apart prior to said inserting step a distance similar to the spacing between said openings and said wires are concurrently passed through the spaced openings.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said clip is moved transversely to the axes of said openings into said retained association with the lug.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,967,340 7/1934 Van Splunter 177-99 X 2,656,201 10/1953 Swerdlow et al. 17499 X 2,984,712 5/1961 Fabel et a1. 1791l5.5 3,284,581 11/1966 Fender 179115.5

JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner C. E. HALL, Assistant Examiner 11.8. C1. X.R. 

